


Amber and Agate

by IllogicalHuman



Series: Miracles and Menageries [5]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst and Feels, Depression, F/M, Hurt Bofur, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, feelings are valid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:13:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27416314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IllogicalHuman/pseuds/IllogicalHuman
Summary: Healing after battle is a long road fraught with more than physical pain.Bofur's road to recovery is just beginning, good thing he's not alone.
Relationships: Bofur & Nori (Tolkien), Bofur/Nori (Tolkien)
Series: Miracles and Menageries [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1975696
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Amber and Agate

**Author's Note:**

> Bofur suffered from what is called a distal femur fracture. In modern times this is usually repaired with surgery. Even with surgical options this type of break can take a long time to heal and still runs the risk of not healing correctly.

Bofur felt like he had been laying in bed for a lifetime, leg propped on pillows and still from the cast and brace. Nori had been allowed up a week after she stopped coughing up goop, Bofur watching enviously as she was allowed to roam about and helping everyone settle for winter. The injured moved into the freshly cleaned and patched healing halls. Everyone was just glad to get out of the rapidly cooling weather and into the mountain.

The company all moved into sets of rooms along one of the upper halls that had not been blocked by a slide from Smaugs thrashing as he took over Erebor. Everyone originally split into family groups. Nori however found this completely unacceptable and Bofur was only too glad to have her join him at night, both almost afraid to face the long quiet hours alone.

Nori ignored Dori as she squawked about propriety and doing things in order now that they were settled in the mountain. She had never been one for doing things by the book though and was not about to start now. Even if she had let Bofur braid a lovely set of beads in her hair.

………

Trying to court while on bed rest was driving Bofur spar. Thankfully he could still carve, but had to get Bifur or Bombur to bring him things to whittle. He wasn’t able to make gifts for Nori like he wanted and was only able to gift her with the carved beads he had made years ago that had somehow lasted throughout the entire journey. Now that they had been given titles by Thorin he was afraid simple wooden beads wouldn’t be good enough for Nori, even if they looked nice nestled in her auburn hair.

He worried she would come to her senses at any moment and realize she was too good for him. She was a beauty by dwarven standards with her thick beard and long hair held in elaborate braids. She even had noble blood from the line of Durin while had never been anything more than an unlettered miner. She could have anyone. Surely she would accept one of the young lords that had followed Dain from the Iron Hills.

In frustration Bofur tossed another ruined hunk of wood towards the fireplace before sweeping the shavings from his lap to join the others on the floor. Bifur only spared him a raised eyebrow before returning to what looked like an eagle. 

Bofur had never been still for so long. He took a sip from the mug beside the bed, hoping the cool water would help with his mounting headache. Nori had been gone for hours and he worried for her when she didn’t join him for lunch like she usually did. Bilbo had helped Bombur bring in the trays of food. The stew had been delicious as always, but Bofur found his appetite lacking as the days crawled by. 

Frustrated he laid back, closing his eyes and letting a restless sleep claim him.

The others began to worry as the typically jolly dwarf began to sink into a depression.

………

“The legs healing as best it can, but his spirit is suffering.” Oin shook his head in exasperation, “He’s also started refusing the pain tonics, says they make him fuzzy headed instead of helping with the actual pain. Stubborn fool, I expected that kind of behavior from the king, not him.”

“Can he not be moved about during the day? Maybe moving to a chair by the fire would help break things up a bit.” Nori sat beside the other two Ur’s as they all spoke to Oin in the common room the company shared.

“If he could I would let him, but it’s the way the leg broke. It snapped the big bone right above his knee, and I’m afraid his knee didn’t come out unscathed. We did the best we could but it needs more time than a regular break to heal. If we had not needed to get him in the mountain I wouldn’t have let him move at all.” Oin placed a large hand on one of Noris slighter shoulders, “I know you're busy helping get things settled lass, but he’s going to need distracting. The idleness is not good for his head. Even if his hands are busy he’s not concentrating on what he’s doing. I've seen nothing but splinters and toothpicks from him in the last few days. Nothing like the clever little animals and such he is usually turning out.”

Nori nodded in thought as they all sat around on the once dusty furniture as Bofur slept soundly for once in their room, Oin finally convincing him to at least accept the tea at night to help. It would take months for Bofur to heal enough to regain any kind of mobility. Oin had already explained that Bofur would never walk right again, and there was a good chance he would never set foot in another mine. He had not taken the news well.

………

The mornings usually followed a routine, Bofur would wake from his slightly drug induced sleep to the deep throbbing from his leg. He had been weaned off the poppy milk not long before Nori had woken the last time. Oin not wanting him to develop a tolerance or dependence on the potent drug.

Nori would already be gone for the day; off to help Balin establish some sort of order and keeping counsel with Thorin or Dain as they sorted through their damaged and long abandoned home.

Bifur and Bombur would always arrive shortly after, helping him with the necessary much to his embarrassment before attempting to stuff him full of breakfast rations. Bifur laughing and bringing up old memories of when the two brothers were wee little lads and had come to live with him. Though there was slightly more food this time around.

Sometimes one of the others from the company would show up after breakfast, attempting to keep Bofur company as he healed with news from around the mountain and from the other settlements as the ravens began to travel, Thorin and Fili treated much the same in the room they shared across the hall.

Most mornings though, Bifur would be the one to stay. Handing bofur several blocks of would and placing his carving tools within easy reach before settling back in near silence. The sounds of knives scraping the only things to be heard.

Nori would always arrive by lunch, carrying a tray for the three of them. Bofur perking up as they chatted about her day so far before Bifur would leave to see to his own duties as she curled into Bofur’s side. This was always when Bofur felt the most at ease. Even with the constant pain from his healing bones and exhaustion from lack of proper rest. He treasured every moment Nori could sit with him until one of the others would come to keep him company and she had to slip off again to help until shortly before dinner and bed.

She would always be there to help him ready for the night before giving him one of Oin’s teas and get him settled as he fell asleep to start it all over again the next day, and the next until they began to blur together in his head.

………

Three months later Bofur woke confused, there was still a warm body in the bed with him. When he got his addled brain to function enough to look down he found Nori looking up at him in amusement. 

“About time.” She grinned wider as he continued to stare.

“You’re still here.” A statement more than a question. “You’re never still here.”

Nori hummed as she began curling his limp moustache around her fingers. “I decided to take the day off.”

“...okay?” Bofur curled his arm around Nori, bringing her closer to his side.

Nori let the silence stretch between them for a while, still running gentle fingers through his beard. Each enjoying just having the other close.

“Bofur?” Nori waitied until he acknowledged her with a hum before continuing, “I know that things are not okay right now. I worry. I’ve not seen you so silent in all the years we have known each other. I also know there is nothing else I can do except be here for you. I feel like I’m failing you with how much I have to be gone. I feel like I’m busier than ever now that Thorin is up and grumping about.”

Bofur frowned slightly at the thought of everyone else already being released from their beds. Glowering at the bulky cast he still wore. Nori’s warm hand redirected his gaze back to her.

“I miss my Bofur, the one that could find the diamond mine in the dirtiest of coal shafts. Always helping others see past their gloom. How do I help you past yours? How can I help you find your smile again?”

Bofur felt tears begin to choke him “....Nori.” With a strangled sound Bofur pulled Nori as far in his lap as he could manage before burying his face in her sleep mushed braids. Broken sobs shaking his thin frame. Nori held him close as he rode the wave of emotions out. Finally purging some of what had been building.

………

When the flow of tears finally slowed and Bofur could catch his breath Nori wiggle back beside Bofur on the bed. Gentle hands rubbing tears from his face. He gave a wet laugh at her attention.

“I must seem so silly to everyone. We just took back Erebor and all somehow survived a battle and here I am moping about a bum leg.”

“No Bofur. You’ve been hurt, badly so. And told you might never work one of your passions again. Of course we expect you to be upset. But you’ve just been so silent. Bombur told me you’ve been eating less as the weeks pass. And I know Oin has fussed at you about losing weight. Bifur said you just sit with the knife and block in your hand most days instead of carving. Not even whittling until you have nothing more than a sliver like you did in the beginning.”

Bofur looked away, feeling ashamed at how he had worried Nori and his family. He just felt so lost. While he enjoyed carving and woodwork his heart had always been in the mines. His stone sense had almost purred the first time he set foot in Erebor. He had been excited about the opportunity to work in mines that weren’t crumbling around him, where the stone didn’t feel tired. Now Oin says he might never walk without a cane. Minework forever closed off if he couldn’t stand on his own to swing his maddock.

“I don’t know what I’m to do now Nori. Even when I’m healed I’ll have lost my craft.”

Understanding filled Nori’s face. “Oh Bofur, we’ll find a way. Even if I have to take you into the mines and hold you up myself.”

Finally a small smile turned up the corners of Bofur's lips. “Aye, I could see us now. The strangest team to pluck jewels from the mountain's depths.”

Nori snorted at the image. “So maybe I can’t hold you up. But we will think of something. Mahal wouldn’t have given you such a gift if you would be cut off from the mines. Maybe you just have to start thinking about it a bit differently. There are other things to do with the mines instead of actually mining. You are technically a lord now, maybe you can head a council or the guild? The miners don’t have a guild here yet after all.”

That actually wasn’t a bad idea. Bofur felt silly he hadn’t thought of it before. With his title and place in the company he might not have been able to return to the mines anyway, two good legs or not. But if he was head of the miners guild he could help out in bigger ways. He well remembered the guild in Ered Luin and how they profited off what little was pulled from the mountain while keeping those doing the work in poverty. The questionable conditions and continued refusal at requests for improvements.

Bofur felt hope. “Thank you Nori.”

“For what?”

“I have not been thinking of things from that angle. You’re right, I can still help out. I can still be useful to the mining operations as something different. So thank you.”

Nori brushed a finger across Bofur's lips, tracing the small smile there. It wasn’t as big as his usual grin, but it was real. “I’m glad.”

……...

Oin comes striding in with breakfast after another month had passed bearing a pair of crutches, Nori trailing along behind him looking anxious.

“Alright lad, as long as you keep most of your weight off the leg the bones should be set enough for you to start moving around.” He leaned the crutches against the side table. “You think you can turn alright on your own or do you need help?

Nori had never felt so nervous as she watched Bofur turn and hang his legs over the side of his bed. He had been confined for so long she was afraid even the gentle exercises he had been doing to keep from losing all muscle tone would not be enough. The straight leg cast was always hard to look at, knowing the mangling injury that was hidden beneath. She can still remember the way his leg had looked as he lay on the battlefield. She sent silent prayers to Mahal as he got the crutches situated and pulled himself up from the bed.

Bofur couldn’t help the wide grin that took over when he first stood. Yes it was exhausting just getting up, but so worth it. He felt relief. He finally felt as if he was getting somewhere. He caught Bifur’s eye as he stood, his cousin's eyes misting over at seeing the improvement. When he caught Nori’s eye his grin got even wider.

“Good job lad, I think the bone is healing better than I hoped.” Oin fussed a little with the cast making sure everything was still in place. “You start walking as much as you can as long as you keep the weight off. In another month I think the cast can come off. I’ve got a brace made that can go in its place. Everything should be healed enough by then we can start working on getting mobility back in that knee. But you have to pace yourself! Don’t overdo it or we will undo all the hard work.”

Bofur could only nod along as Oin continued to fuss and poke, his eyes never leaving Nori.

After a few slow steps about the room Oin had Bofur back in bed and shoved a pain tonic down him with his breakfast before he could protest. “Rest lad. The crutches will still be here later. I’ll be back before dinner and twice a day every day until I feel you can be left to your own devices.” With another nod Oin swept out of the room.

Nori waited as Bifur hugged his cousin, speaking a few soft words that made Bofur bark a laugh before leaving them alone.

Nori raised an eyebrow at the mischievous grin on Bofur's face.

“He said just because I’ve been given the green light doesn't mean I can jump right into just any activity. Got to pace myself like Oin said. And he’s not ready for me to join Bom in fatherhood. Says things need to be done proper like.”

Nori could only laugh as she joined Bofur on the bed, tugging at his pigtails. “As well you know, I’ve never been proper.”

Bofur could only grin as he pulled Nori in for a searing kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Do y'all even enjoy this strange brain child of mine???


End file.
